Question of the Week: 1 - 8/7/2000Who are you going to vote for and why?Which political platform or candidate are you leaning towards? Do you think that a level of political involvement is important to pagans? Are you registered to vote, will you vote and who -if you don't mind telling the world- are you planning to vote for (or against)?

I will never favor or vote for a party that is anti-women, which I believe the Republicans are. I don't care how nice and compasionate conservative they appear to the media, I know what is on their platform and it does not represent myself, my interests, my beliefs or the country I want to live in. I am delighted to have a candidate like Gore running. I think the only thing everyone is holding against Gore is that there are too many good things about him and therefore he hasn't had to develop the usual political slickness we all know and readily fall for. Gore is very pro-women's rights, very environmentally aware, and as far as I can tell, not at all interested in doing things to the nation's stance on seperation of church and state. I get really tired of environmentalists running down Gore for his imperfect environmental record - how long has it been since we have seen a candidate with as much knowledge and interest for the environment in either of the major parties? And I personally feel that Mr. Ralph Nadar picked a bad year to throw his hat in the ring. So much of what he has to offer, Gore does as well. Where was he when our choices were Dumb and Dumber - Ducacus and Bush? I won't go into all of the reasons I refuse to even consider voting for Bush and think anyone in their right mind would feel the same way. The guy gives me the creepies, not to mention his complete lack of political or even life experience. He has never been tested, nothing has ever been out of his reach or his father's or his father's wallet's. I feel that voting is increadibly important, especially for any minority group to let people know that we are there, that we have a voice and a few minority groups strung together can always topple the majority, who sometimes need to open their minds a little bit. I am registered to vote and am delighted to be able to vote in my first presidential election this year, since there hasn't been one since before I was 18. Go Al!

I Am A Libertarian, Plain And Simple. Libertarians Believe That As Long...

I am a Libertarian, plain and simple. Libertarians believe that as long as what you do does not harm others, then it should not be against the law. (Sounds a lot like "An' It Harm None, Do What Thou Wilt", eh?)

I am 18 years old, and as long as I can remember my family will sit and eat dinner while watching the evening news. How many 18 year-olds out there can remember seeing the Berlin Wall coming down, and knowing exactly what was going on? I have always known what was going on in the world around me.

Back in high school, I was feared in Debate classes and I always had an opinion in any social studies class (History, Government, etc.). Despite all of this, as a Pagan I was having trouble finding a political mentality that not only supported my religion but also agreed with the most sacred document of all, The Constitution of The United States Of America.

One day in my Government class the teacher announced we were going to research political parties. We had to study the Republicans, the Democrats, and a third party. My father is a newspaper reporter, so I looked for a press release, any press release, from a third party. I found one talking about Teresa Pollok, running for State Representative in 1998 (Michigan's 63rd District). I invited the woman to speak to our class (so I could get some extra credit) and I quickly found out that despite how much you hear about them in the media, the Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in the United States. We get more votes and have more members than both the Reform Party and the Green Party. Since the party was started, every presidential election year the party gets four times bigger. At this rate, we will overtake one of the two "major parties" within ten years. Well, after learning all of this and learning their platform, I liked the party so much I became a member.

Now, I am 18 years old, and I am the Vice-Chairman of The Libertarian Party of Livingston County, Michigan.

Many Pagans are concerned with the environment, and many want to be Libertarian but are concerned with the Libertarian's desire for the government not to interfere with private lives getting in the way of saving the Earth. Let me tell you, it is not a concern. Libertarians belive in the right to sue for any and all pollution. If an individual cannot pay within their lifetime the amount they owe, tthey would be sent to jail. What about pollution on public land? In a "Libertopia" their would be no public land, it would all be privatized, but this is probably not a sound theory in the real world. In those cases where public land is damaged, the penalties would be much harsher against those that would harm what belonged to a community. Some Libertarians would even call for the government itself to sue such an individual or orginization.

What about those that own so much land, they can't get sued for polluting another's? Truth is, if they pollute the land to the point of causing harm to it, somehow some of what they are doing will get into the air, the soil, eventually the ground water. Because of this pollution would no longer be an option for corporations and individuals in a Libertarian styled world.

As for Pagan Rights, or civil liberties in general, the word Libertarian says it all. Our platform is basically summed up by saying "follow the spirit of the Constitution, and as long as it harms no others, do what you will..."

What could be more logical and more PAGAN than that?

Libertarian Crime Solution: If it doesn't and can't hurt others, then it's your right as an American to do what you will.

Libertarians would make it so crimes that hurt others would have stiff penalties, whereas crimes that don't hurt anyone but you would no longer be considered criminal. (i.e. Drinking is okay, until you step behind the wheel of a car.)

Libertarian Pollution Solution: Polluting others property in any way would be illegal.This includes via air, water, earth, or by sound (noise).

Libertarians support individuals right to privacy 100%!

Libertarians would:* End the so-called "war on drugs" and concentrate your money on rehabilitation. People weren't stopped by alcohol prohibition, and drugs aren't doing any better!* Support the rights of the individual* Keep the environment clean through logical property laws* Get tough on real crime* Double the police resources available for crime prevention without any additional government spending.* Help education, welfare, and other governmental programs by allowing our free trade, capitalist economy serve as a model and take over these systems.

Without A Doubt, I Will Be Voting For Harry Browne, The Libertarian...

Without a doubt, I will be voting for Harry Browne, the Libertarian candidate for President. It is VERY important that we, as pagans, make our voices heard. If we don't stand up to protect our rights and freedoms, they will be taken away from us little by little. The Democrats and the Republicans are two sides of the same coin. Neither party is interested in protecting our (pagan and non-pagan alike) rights or freedoms. Both parties wipe their butts with the Constitution every chance they get. Both parties have been bought and paid for by big business, multi-national corporations, the Radical Religious Reich, and the Chinese. If we don't stand up for our Constitutional rights and freedoms, no one else will. Oops, sorry for the rant. Stepping off soapbox now :)

The important thing to remember is.....JUST VOTE! Vote your conscience! Exercise your right. Make your voice heard. Just imagine....if everyone who said they weren't going to vote, or thought their vote would be wasted by voting for a third party candidate, actually voted for the candidate they wanted to vote for, that candidate might actually win.

As we enter the new Millennium, we can't afford to be silent any longer. Because soon, our right and freedom to speak may be taken away from us. In order for us to preserve our right and freedom to practice our various faiths and live our lives the way WE choose to, without harm to anyone, we need to speak out now before its too late.

I plan to vote for Gore, simply because I am truly frightened of what might happen if Bush were to be elected.

Well, I Am Leaning Toward The Democrats Myself, I Must Admit That...

Aug 11th. at 10:30:05 am UTC

Robert Wind Eagle (Dexter, Michigan US)

Age: 27

Well, i am leaning toward the Democrats myself, i must admit that both canidates have major flaws, but i still support Al Gore none the less. As for political involment, i think if the Wiccan and Pagan community as a whole wants to further themselves, then it is important that we involve ourselves and stand up for our rights and ways of life, so no one takes that away from us anymore. Yes, i am a registered voter and yes, i will vote for Al Gore, and hopefully he will remember us and represent us and defend our rights as President of the United States. As for Bush, well, i just hope he does not get into office, and that is all i have to say on that matter.

I don't care for either of the 2 main candidates, Bush is worse than his father. Gore, while he talks the talk on the environment has het to prove to me that he will walk the walk. I have voted in every election for the last 23 years. It looks like I will be doing something I rarely do by voting against Bush. I would vote for Nader, but I feel I need to do all I can to keep Bush from winning. I am hoping that Buchannon will draw some of the Republican votes as well, thus lowering the totals or Bush. As long as Congress maintains a Republican majority Gore can't do too much to hurt the country.

I just registered to vote last year after living in this state for 12 yrs! I have never had any faith in the government and as a Pagan I really don't appreciate ANY candidate assuming Christianity is THE religion of the US. I think of voting for Nader, altho everyone know's he hasn't got a chance of winning. It's always a lesser of 2 evils to choose from. I may just write in my own choice--Daffy Duck!

(I'm Heather, age 40, a coven member, Pagan, and getting more hedgewitch-y by the minute!

I am number 157 to respond, and the first thing I have to say is that this gives me a huge thrill. We are talking- and we are talking real world issues! Yes!!! Maybe we have a chance to pull out of the bad habit of being obsessed with the little stupid stuff like "witch wars" ( My priestess can out-hex your preistess nyah nyah nyah!)

On to that, then. I always vote.I must preserve my right to COMPLAIN!Seriosly I am only the second generation in the direct female line born with the right to vote-born 1960, and Mom born in 1920, the year American women got suffrage. Recent studies in history have convinced me that a lot of legislators who were rather rascist decided to let White women have the vote, despite the fact that Black women would then have that right! Not too noble, is it? No, it ain't!

My points here are two-

1. Dealmaking, compromise, and constituency politics are they only way thingss get done. As citzens with one vote apiece we myust all try to keep it as clean as possible, but it still has to be done.

2. If you give one disenfranchised group rights, everyone will want them! ;-)!

Election strategy-work for the Greens to put the fear of the Gods into Gore. Vote straight Green on all local ballots, to build the party- and al l third parties.

Candidates and issues:

Point number 2 is the exact message that all us alt releigion folks should work hard on getting to Sen Lieberman whether you support him or not. We don't dare let him think the religious tolerance work is over just because he got nominated. Not hardly. My fave quote of last week is some Democratis commentator crowing over Lieberman said

"I don't care where he goes to church on Sunday!"

Actually, I feel the same basic way. I don't care if he's an Orthodox Satanist, so long as he understands that in America we separate church and state! Look at places around the world that do not- they are *still* having nasty brutal religious wars.On religion we have aggreed not to disagree.

(Happy Lughnassa, Heather. Thanks, Father Murphy- happy St. Micheal's day to you.)(Isn't that a nice little fantasy? I so want that!)

Another thing the candidates all need to have reinforced is the fact that religion, family values, and morality are all very private matters, not real political issues. "Focus on the Family" and pals should focus on their own darn families!

Bush scares me. He thinks we should institute "charitable choice"- government funding for religious charities to feed, house, heal and maybe, someday soon educate people in need. Whose religion? Ours? Ha! think about not bieng able to get an abortion or even birth control because the hospitals and clinics are run by Monotheist sects who don't approve. Think about our kids being taught "sex, pleasure, and your bodies are SINFUL!" in schools theat get public money.

Gore is a politician. He will lean out the safe center in a good way only if leaned upon. He needs to be terrorized into getting back in line with the values he expressed in Earth in the Balance. If he meant that it is time to prove it. Let every government office use only recycled materials. Get extractive indusrty (timber, mining, oil) off of the government dole, and let them make thier way in the cruel capitalist world!They never could have gotten off the ground without government funding (see your history books)but now it is renwable tech's turn.

Gore could get behind these ideas and more.

Pat Buchanan says he will end abortion, homosexuality, and make this country "Godly" again. Gods keep him-FAR AWAY FROM WASHINGTON, that is!

The Natural Law guy's basic premise strikes me as utterly flaky - just meditate and it will all be great. 2-4-6-8, let's all sit and meditate!

Ralph Nadar is the only candidate taking a genuinely populist position. If you think, like me, that we need SOME government to keep on top of SOME things- like environmental regulation, enforcing tolerance ( as in:leave that minority ALONE!)and other complications of post-industrial life. I think the Libertarians would rescue us from intrusive government only to see our liberties, communities, our earth, air and water, our souls and imaginations stolen from us by corporations, who will sell them back at a profit. Disney Corp is already working on this!

OLD DOGGEREL: They hang the man and flog the woman / Who steals the goose from off the Common, Yet turn the greater felon loose / Who steals the common from the goose!

At this point in time, I am currently leaning towards Gore. Do I think that a level of political involvment is important for pagans? Why of course I do! I think everyone should be involved in politics in one way or another. I am registered to vote, I most definitely will vote (I've never missed a chance to vote, and it's my very first presidential election). Right now, I think that I might vote for Gore. However, even though I do greatly dislike my govenor, and would hate to see him in the Oval office, he might be able to change my mind before November. Or maybe I'll vote third party. We will just have to see.

The lesser of two evils places me as a Republican. Only other choice would be to abstain. Pagan involvement is essential, however due to the misconception by the general public I believe the most significan impact will have to occur under the disquise of religious neutality. Unfortunately, I live in the buckle of the 'bible-belt' and to openly profess ones pagan values no matter how similar to Christianity would bring on the rotten tomato. They just don't seem to understand diversilty here and would immediately reject something so foreign.

I am a registered Rep. and I'm a tree hugging geologist who works in the oil patch. Believe me when I tell you that I don't know a geologist ( I worked for Exxon for 14 years, and and independent for 6) who likes to see mother earth plundered for her riches. The industry has had its fair share of screw-ups, and I believe that they should pay for their transgressions. However, we do have a capitalistic society, we all can't raise families and walk 50 miles to work. Sorry for the rant......I've been hitting your site for over 2 years and love it... Still a closet solitary.... keep up the good work

I Have Generally And Historically Voted For Those Running Under The Green...

Aug 10th. at 11:16:51 pm UTC

Nelli (Carmel, California US)

Age: 23

I have generally and historically voted for those running under the Green platform, because the political philosophies of that party march most closely with my own. This year, however, I find myself in the position of truly voting *against* someone - Bush - which means that I will have to vote for Gore. It's not that I've got anything against Gore; he's just not what I'd have for president if I could help it. He is, first and foremost, a politician - he will promise, cajole, bribe, lie and ride the fence, just like his predecessor (hopefully with a little more personal discretion, if not morality) if he manages to get elected. Darling George W., on the other hand... the idea of him in office at the same time as the current congress makes me want to either scream in rage, weep in terror, or pack up and move to a remote and isolated island in the middle of nowhere that is far out of reach of any politics. The man is stupid - really. Don't you think that a World Leader ought to be able to name at least most of the countries in the world? Stupidity in itself, of course, is not a crime. Declaring Jesus Day should be, at least for a governor (that whole separation of church and state thing...). But he looks to be a figurehead and a mouthpiece for the religious right, for anti-abortion groups, and for far right conservatives in general. He has reinforced that position by his choice of Vice-president... and the less said about *that* gentleman, the better. Maybe it will all come to nothing, but I am deeply and sincerely afraid that if G.W. is elected, we will face severely restricted freedoms of speech and religion, increased and profound environmental destruction, the loss of public lands schools, and a much higher rate of execution. Perhaps he could not do that much with only two years working with a republican congress - I devoutly hope so, because at this point, I'm pretty sure he's going to win. But I will vote, not so much for Gore, but againt Bush.

Now this is an interesting thought - what if we had the option on our ballots not only to vote for people, but against people. Each person could choose to vote for one person and against one person. So each final vote would be tallied by adding up the "for" votes, subtracting the "against" votes, and seeing who came out with the most points in the end. With a system like that, we might actually end up with a president like Nader...

I do think that pagans in this time need to be politically active, not necessarily as pagan activists per se, but as defenders of religious freedom. For me personally, environmental issues and social justice issues are close to the heart of my morality and spirituality, and so I am an activist in those realms as well. It seems to me that most pagans pride themselves in being open-minded, environmentally conscious, compassionate and thoughtful people, and I believe that anyone who sees themselves as these should be politically active in some way, as a matter of course. Political activity, of course, has become as simple as pointing and clicking, in many cases. For instance, you can go to workingforchange.com and get updates on environmental and social justice issues, and have them send an email petition in your name to the various companies, individuals and groups who are participating in harmful, unethical or dubious activities. I am sure there are many similar sites out there, so it's not like you even have to sit down at a keyboard anymore, or use up stamps and envelopes, or make up your own letters.

I encourage everyone to vote for someone, if only to excersise your rights - rights, like muscles, tend to weaken if not used. I am profoundly grateful that the pagan community has a resource like The Witches Voice, to remind us that we are part of a community, that we do matter, and that we are not alone in the world.

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